Fluid-pressure operated diaphragm valve



June 8, 1954 a. c. CHURCHMAN 2,680,591

FLUID-PRESSURE OPERATED DIAPHRAGM VALVE Filed Aug. 23. 1947 i Maw V? g X Marg y Patented June 8, 1954 FLUID-PRESSURE OPERATED DIAPHRAGM VALVE Russell 0. Churchman,

Churchman,

Des Moines, Iowa; Nellie Churchman, deceased Application August 23, 1947, Serial No. 770,317

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a valve having inlet and outlet, adapted to store a pressure medium in a storage tank connected with the valve and the pressure medium enterin the storage tank when the inlet is open and the outlet closed; and discharging from the storage tank when the outlet is opened.

It is an object of the invention, among others,

to provide a valve wherein a pressure medium will enter a storage tank associated with the valve outlet when the outlet is closed, and when the pressure medium no longer flows to the valve, the pressure medium in the storage tank will open the outlet and the pressure medium in the storage tank will discharge through the outlet.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a valve simple in construction and operation; economical in construction and operation, long lasting in operation; and economical to purchase.

In carryin out the objects of the invention there is presented a valve structure comprising a valve housing which housing may be made in two sections and the valve housing has an inlet into the housing and an outlet from the housing. There is a chamber within the housing separated into two sections by a diaphragm connected to the housing with the end of the second section terminating in a cylindrical portion. The diaphragm may be connected between the two sections of the housing when assembled. A storage tank is connected to the valve housing which storage tank is in communication with the second section of the chamber. There is a passageway through the diaphragm connecting the first section of the chamber with the second section of the chamber and there are means associated with the diaphragm to close 01f the outlet from the housing. The passageway may be in a projecting member attached to the diaphragm and extending into the cylindrical portion of the second section of the chamber. A gasket is associated with the projectin member and closes olT 'fiow through the outlet when the projecting member is moved forwardly. The cylindrical portion serves as a guide to direct the gasket over the outlet. The projecting member and gasket are moved forwardly into sealing engagement with the outlet when a pressure medium is pres ent in the first section of the chamber to fill the storage tank with the pressure medium and said pressure medium in the storage tank moves the diaphragm and projecting member rearwardly when the first section of the chamber is exhausted to unseat the outlet and allow the pressure medium to flow out of the outlet.

executrix of said Russell 0.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described herewith and will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, the figure shows the valve member partly in elevation and partly in cross section and further shows a diagrammatic view of the organization into which the valve is placed.

The valve member is represented generally at I and includes a housing made in two sections 2 and 3 joined together. Within the housin sections 2 and 3 is a chamber divided into two sections 4 and 5 by a diaphragm 6. The diaphragm may be made of any flexible, non-porous material and may be attached to the housing sections 2 and 3 to divide the chamber by being placed between the two housing sections 2 and 3 and held between the sections 2 and 3 when the sections are secured together by screws 1.

A projecting member 8 is attached to the dia phragm 6 by any suitable means. The drawing shows washers 9 on either side of diaphragm 6 and the end of the projecting member 8, peened over at Ill to secure the projectingmember 8 on the diaphragm 6. The housing section 3 has a cylindrical portion H therein which forms a part of the chamber 5. The projecting member 8 extends into the cylindrical portion l I and has a gasket I2 associated with the end of the projecting member 8. The projecting member 8 is drilled at I3 and M to form a passageway through the diaphragm 6 so communication is established between the first section 4 of the chamber and the second section 5 of the chamher.

The valve I has an inlet l5 through which a medium under pressure may enter the valve I, through the first section 4 of the chamber. The medium under pressure exerts its force against the diaphragm 6 moving the diaphragm 6 and projecting member 8 to the right. An outlet l6 leads from the second section 5 of the chamber. When the projecting member 8 moves to the right, the cylindrical portion l 1 guides the asket I2 associated with the projecting member 8 into engagement with the outlet I 6 and the gasket l2 seats to close off the outlet Hi. The bores or passageways l3 and I4 allow flow from the first section 4 of the chamber to the second section 5 of the chamber until the pressure in the two sections 4 and 5 of the chamber are equalized. The housing section 3, has a storage tank or pressure chamberi'l connected therewith by screw threads l8 and a passageway I9 connects the second section of the chamber with the storage tank (1 so that the medium under pressure may flow into the storage tank I! from the section 5 of the chamber.

When the medium under pressure no longer flows into the section 4 of the chamber, the diaphragm 8 will no longer be forced to the right, hence the medium under pressure in the storage tank ll, will push the diaphragm 6 to the left, thus unseating the gasket [2 from the outlet 16 to allow flow outwardly through the outlet 16. The size of outlet :6 in comparison with the passageway I3 is considerably greater, hence while there is a flow backwardly through passageway 13, the bulk of the medium under pressure flows outwardly through the outlet I 5, hence the rearward flow through passageway l3 becomes immaterial.

One organization into-which the valve I may be placed is the same as that described in applicants copending application Serial Number 760,682, filed July 12, 1947, now Patent No. 2,571,420, issued October 16, 1951. An air stor age tank is shown at 2!} connecting through a line 2! with an air compressor. A line 22 connects into the air storage tank 28 and conducts the air under pressure to where it is desired to be used. In compressing air, the water vapor in the air is condensed and drops out as a liquid and is received in the air storage tank 20. It is desirable to drain this accumulated water periodically. A valve 23 connects into the bottom of the storage tank and is actuated periodically to open the valve to allow any accumulated moisture to drain out of storage tank 20. The valve 23 is shown and claimed in applicants co-pending application Serial No. 651,261, filed March 1, 1946, now Patent No. 2,505,663, issued April 25, 1950, hence only a brief description, sufficient to understand an organization into which valve 1 may be placed, will be included here. The valve 23 has a housing member which is made in two parts 24 and 25, slip fitted together for ease of assembling the valve 23. The part 25 has an inlet end 28 connecting into the bottom of the storage tank 2c to drain moisture from the storage tank 29 through an outlet 2?. The inlet 25 and outlet 21 are connected togetherwithin the housing part 25 by a passage 28, perpendicular to the inlet 26 and outlet2l, all oi which make a conduit through the housing part 215. One end of the passage 28 forms a valve seat 29 and a valve stem 29a seats on the seat 29 to close ofi flow through the conduit in the housing part 25. The valve stem 29a connects with a piston 30, reciprocal within a chamber 3| formed Within the housing part 24 and a spring 32 acts against piston 31! to force the piston 39 to the right, thus moving valve stem 29a to the right into sealing engagement with the seat 29 to close oil passage 23. A pressure medium such as the pressure medium from valve flows from outlet 16 through conduit 33 and enters chamber 3! to exert its pressure against the piston 30, forcing the piston 36 to the left against the tension of spring 32 thus pulling the valve stem 29d 0ft seat 29 to open the conduit through the housing. section 25. An outlet 34 leads from chamber 3i to allow the medium under pressure to escape from chamber 3!. The outlet 34 has a restricted opening 35 which can be adjusted by restricting screw 36 to vary the size or" the openin 35. Chamber 3! is sealed from the conduit in housin part 25 by gasket 37 which also seals valve stem 29a passin therethrough.- When chamber 3i becomes exhausted of pressure medium, spring 32 forces valve stem 29a to the right into engagement with seat 29, thus closin off the conduit through the housing part 25. An opening 38 is provided to allow pressure medium that may seep back of piston 33 to pass out to the atmosphere.

Another valve 39 connects through a pipe 40 and coupling H to the storage tank 20. The valve 39 has a passage 42 in a housing 43 within the valve 39. The passage 42 connects with a spring tube member 44, which is the usual spring tube member set to expand under pressure. A passage ii i leads oil at right angles to the passage 42 and presents a valve seat at. The passage 45 connects into a passage M which connects through a coupling member 48 with the valve member i. A valve stem 49 has one end thereof seated on the valve seat 45 closin oil flow of air under pressure from the air storage tank 29 through pipe 3!], coupling 41, passages 42, 45, $1 and coupling member 48, to the valve memher i. The upper end of valve stem 49 connects through a bracket 56 with the spring tube t l. When the air pressure in storage tank 20 reaches a predetermined pressure, the spring tube M will be expanded, thus lifting valve stem 49 off valve seat 58 to allow flow of air under pressure from the storage tank 26 to the valve I through the valve 39. As the pressure on the air in storage tank 29 decreases, a point is reached where the air pressure existing in storage tank 25 is insufficient to keep the spring tube 44 expanded hence the spring tube 41% returns to its normal un-expanded position in which position the valve stem 49 seats on valve seat 46 to close off flow of air under pressure to the valve i.

It can thus be seen that air under pressure can flow to valve 1 into the first section 4 of the chamber when the stem 43 is unseated from valve seat 46. When the valve stem 49 is seated again the air under pressure remaining in section 4 of the chamber can flow back through coupling 48 and can escape to the atmosphere through the passage 5 4. Hence the pressure to the left of diaphragm 6 will be less than on the right side and the outlet is will be opened to allow the air under pressure in storage tank 11 to flow to the valve 23 to actuate the valve 23 in the manner described.

It is noted that valve 39 is connected electrically with the compressor unit so that the compressor is put into operation to supply air to storage tank 28 when the spring tube at is unexpanded and when spring tube 44 is expanded again the compressor unit is stopped.

It will be understood that the invention has been described for purposes of illustration and explanation and that changes and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention; all such modifications and changes are intended to be included in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve structure, a housing having a chamber therein, a flexible diaphragm in said chamber dividing the same into a first and second section; said.second section being cylindrical in shape, an inlet insaid housing communicating with said first section; said inlet adapted to communicate with a source of air supply under pressure, an outlet in said housing communicating with said second section, said outlet adapted to communicate with a member to beactuated, an air reservoir, a'passageway in-said housing communicating at one end with said second section and at its other end with said air reservoir, a-

projectin member connected to said diaphragm and slidably extending into said second section, a resilient member on said projecting member in said second section, the axis of said resilient member being aligned with that of the outlet, said resilient member being normally spaced from said outlet a distance less than the maximum displacement of the diaphragm in the direction of said outlet so that it is capable of closing said outlet when said projectin member is moved to its extreme position toward said outlet, and a passageway having a smaller cross section than either said outlet or said first mentioned passageway in said projectin member having one end communicating with said first section and its other end communicating with said second section.

2. In a valve structure, a housing having a chamber therein, a flexible diaphragm in said chamber dividing the same into a first and section; said second section being cylindrical in shape, an inlet in said housing communicating with said first section; said inlet adapted to communicate with a source of air supply under pressure, an outlet in said housing communicating with said second section, said outlet adapted to communicate with a member to be actuated, an air reservoir, a passageway in said housing com municating at one end with said second section and at its other end with said air reservoir, a projecting member connected to said diaphragm and slidably extending into said second section, a second passageway having a smaller cross section than either said outlet or said first mentioned passageway in said projecting member and having its respective ends communicating with said first and second sections, a resilient member on said projecting member in said second section, the axis of said resilient member being aligned with that of the outlet, said resilient member being normally spaced from said outlet a distance less than the maximum displacement of the diaphragm in the direction of said outlet so that when said inlet receives air under pressure, the diaphragm will be moved in one direction causing said projecting member to move in the same direction whereby the resilient member on said projecting member closes off said outlet and at the same time the air under pressure entering said inlet will travel through said passageways to said air reservoir until pressure in said first and second sections is equalized, and when said inlet no longer receives air under pressure, the stored air in the reservoir will travel back through said first mentioned passageway into said second section causing the diaphragm and projecting member to move in the other direction whereby said outlet is open and air from the reservoir will pass out of the outlet.

3. A valve structure comprising, a valve housing, a diaphragm connected to the housing dividsecond Lt.

ing the same into a first and second section, said housing having an inlet communicating with said first section and an outlet communicating with said second section, a pressure chamber connected to the valve housing and in communication by a passageway with said second section and said outlet, a second passageway smaller in cross section than said outlet and said first mentioned passageway through the diaphragm connecting said first section with said second section, and means associated with the diaphragm to close oi? the outlet from the housing.

4. A valve structure comprising, a valve housing, a chamber within said housing, a diaphragm connected to said housing so as to divide said chamber into a first and second section, said first section having an inlet, said second section having an outlet, a pressure chamber connected to said valve housing and in communication by a passageway with said second section and said outlet, said diaphragm provided with a passageway therethrough connecting said first and second sections, said last mentioned passageway being smaller in cross section than said outlet and said first mentioned passageway, and resilient means associated with the diaphragm to close off said outlet.

5. A valve structure comprising, a valve housing, a chamber within said housing, a diaphragm connected to said housing so as to divide said chamber into a first and second section, said first section having an inlet, said second section having an outlet, a pressure chamber connected to said valve housing and in communication by a passageway with said second section and said outlet, a projecting member connected to said diaphragm and having a passageway therethrough connecting said first and second sections, said last mentioned passageway being smaller in cross section than said outlet and said first mentioned passageway, a resilient member on said projecting member, the axis of said resilient member being aligned with that of the outlet, said resilient member being normally spaced from said outlet a distance less than the maximum displacement of the diaphragm in the direction of the outlet so that it is capable of closing said outlet at times.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 813,008 Kimes Feb. 20, 1906 1,156,165 McManamy Oct. 12, 1915 1,287,119 Shurtleff Dec. 10, 1918 1,461,662 Kawamura July 10, 1923 1,715,539 Delanoy June 4, 1929 2,185,461 Guthrie Jan. 2, 1940 2,212,486 Zoder Aug. 20, 1940 2,444,563 Gebauer July 6, 1948 

